Electrical appliances are known which have an electrical supply cable fixed thereto, and other appliances are known which are releasably connectable to an electricity supply by a separable electrical connector of which one part is incorporated in the appliance and the other part is connected to an electrical supply cable, so that the latter can be removed easily from the appliance. Such appliances are often called "corded" appliances.
So called "cordless" electrical appliances are known which are easily connectable to an electricity supply by an electrical connector device, which connector device is incorporated in a base or like stand, effects an electrical connection with input terminals of the appliance automatically when the latter is supported by the stand, and is connected to an electrical supply cable. The stand may incorporate an electrical switch between the cable and the connector device to switch off the connector device when the appliance is removed from the stand.
Corded and cordless appliances each have respective disadvantages. For example, the cord or supply cable can be a hindrance when using a corded appliances, and the repeated flexing of the supply cable often causes the cable to fail; whereas cordless appliances have to store such energy as may be necessary for their operation when removed from the stand, and the types of appliance are thus restricted to those which require little or no such energy, e.g. electric kettles in which heating is performed while the kettle is supported by the stand and stops upon removal, electric flat irons in which the necessary energy is stored as heat, and low-power electrical devices such as lamps in which the energy is stored electrically in a rechargeable cell.